The present invention relates to shear balers, and more particularly, to shear balers for processing large volumes of diparate scrap metal, such as black sheet clips, loose steel, industrial skeleton sheets, trim stock, white goods, galvanized sheet and clips, stainless steel sheets, aluminum sheet, and miscellaneous auto sheet, into discrete, high density, compact bundles.
Prior shear balers have included a compression chamber wherein scrap metal is compressed, in a first direction, by the movement of a hydraulically actuated shear ram and then, in a second direction, by the movement of a hydraulically actuated side mounted ram. The scrap metal is introduced, from a hopper, into the compression chamber through an opening in the top wall of the chamber. The compressed bundles of scrap metal are ejected from the shear baler, by the side mounted ram, through a side opening that is closed, by a hydraulically actuated side gate during the time the scrap metal is being compressed, in the compression chamber.
Generally the pieces of scrap metal to be compressed project out of the compression chamber and back into the hopper before the movement of the shear ram is initiated. A fixed shearing blade is mounted on the edge of the top wall opening perpendicular to the path of movement of the shear ram. Another shearing blade is mounted on and along the upper, transverse edge of the shear ram, and cooperation between these shearing blades, as the shear ram proceeds along its path of movement, results in the shearing off of the initially projecting pieces of scrap metal. After the shear ram has completed its compressive movement, it remains at the end of its path of movement. The side mounted ram then begins and completes its compressive movement, with the paths of movement of the two rams being substantially perpendicular to each other. When the side mounted ram completes its compressive movement, the side gate opens, and the scrap metal, now compressed into the form of a bundle, is ejected from the compression chamber.
Shear balers are almost inadvarably operated in dirty, often hostile environments such as found in scrap yards. Because of the nature of their functions, they are, for the most part, relatively massive, heavy pieces of equipment that are designed to operate in such environments with a minimum of maintenance and repair. In the past, the shear balers have tended to have their "Achilles heels". The shearing blades, and particularly, the shearing blade mounted on the shear ram, are subject to hard wear and as a result, have had to be frequently replaced. Even when the shearing blades do not need to be replaced, the blades often have to be shimmed to compensate for the wear on the blades, the shear ram, and the bottom wall of the compression chamber and so that the necessary special relationship between the fixed and moving shearing blades can be maintained to assure proper shearing action. The shimming and replacement of the moving shearing blade was a time consuming operation and one that required the substantial dismantling of the shear ram.
Another longstanding problem was the damage caused by the pieces of scrap metal that worked their way around and past the compressive rams and particularly, the side mounted ram. In the past, it was the recognized practice to combat this problem by making the body of the compressive ram congruent to and substantially the same size as the ram head and by maintaining as close tolerances as practicable between the ram body and head and the surrounding protective housing. However, in spite of this practice and no matter how tightly the fit and tolerances between the ram head and body and the surrounding housing were maintained, pieces of metal would invariably work around the ram and tended to damage the actuating hydraulic cylinder positioned behind the compressive head. Such damage resulted in costly repairs and downtime.
It is a primary object of my present invention to provide an improved shear baler of the type described wherein the aforementioned disadvantages and problems are allieviate and overcome. Another object of my present invention is to provide an improved shear baler of the type described which includes novel means for mounting shear blades on the shear ram and wherein the replacement and shimming of the moving shear blades are greatly facilitated. This novel shear blade mounting means also holds the shearing edge of the shear blade at an angle of between 2.degree. to 4.degree., with respect to the plane of the leading face of the shear ram, and this, it has been found, results in significantly improved shearing action.
Still another object of my invention is to provide improved shear baler of the type described wherein the side mounted ram is constructed so as to substantially eliminate any chance that scrap metal, working past the ram head, will cause damage to the actuating hydraulic cylinder. The spacing between the side mounted ram and its protective housing is relatively large, and the compressive ram itself is constructed so that any pieces of scrap metal working around the ram head will readily fall to the bottom of the housing where they can be easily removed through clean-out openings.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of my present invention wll become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment of my invention.